Spader made his film debut in 1981's Endless Love. He went on to co-star, often as a confused member of the upper class, in Pretty in Pink (1986), Wall Street (1987), sex, lies, and videotape (1989), for which he won a Best Actor Award at Cannes, Stargate (1994), Crash (1997), The Stickup (2001), and Speaking of Sex (2001).